NATIONAL COUNTIES T20 REVIEW - WEEK 2

Richard Gleeson, the Lancashire and England Lions seamer, helped Cumbria begin their National Counties T20 campaign with a double over Northumberland at the South Northumberland in Newcastle.

Gleeson, who has signed a T20-only contract with Lancashire for this season having missed most of last season with a stress fracture of the back, took two for 20 in each of the matches in his first appearances for Cumbria in seven years.

Cumbria won the opener by 33 runs and the second by five runs as Northumberland suffered double defeats for the second consecutive Sunday.

Michael Slack enjoyed a productive day for Cumbria, making 130 runs with 87 not out in the opener followed by 43 in the second match.

Slack and Sam Dutton shared an opening stand of 118 in the first match with opener John Oswell responding with a half century for Northumberland.

Oswell’s brother Matthew took three wickets in the second game and Northumberland got closer thanks to Ireland and former Durham wicketkeeper batsman Stuart Poynter, who unbeaten 67 came from 48 balls.

The honours were shared in the other Group One match at Whitchurch where Staffordshire won a low-scoring opener against Shropshire by five wickets and then squandered a match-winning position in the second and were beaten by 14 runs.

Staffordshire appeared to be easing to a victory target of 146 when they were 103 for two with six overs remaining and with Riki Wessels well set.

But Bridgnorth seamer Charlie Walker took two wickets in an over on his way to a four wicket haul and Madeley’s Martin Boyle did the same, including Wessels who was bowled for 58, as the runs dried up.

Andre Bradford batted through Shropshire’s innings for 87 not out after they had struggled against the left-arm wrist spin of Sam Wisniewski in the opener.

Suffolk opener Ben Claydon plundered 102 from 47 balls to set up a crushing nine wickets win over Lincolnshire in the first game at Ipswich School.

Claydon’s innings included ten fours and seven sixes and it saw Suffolk to a target of 129 with 50 balls to spare.

But Lincolnshire gained their revenge in the second match with Joe Kendall making 82, Ben Wright 41 not out and Ross Carnelley 35 in a total of 185 for four.

Ben Parker led the chase with 47 but Ben Dobson kept Suffolk in check with four wickets which helped secure an 11 runs win.

Holders Hertfordshire again won one and lost one this time against Norfolk at Haileybury School.

Essex batsman Robin Das marked his National Counties debut with a half century which, with 49 not out from captain Reece Hussain, set up a 41 runs win in the opener.

Norfolk hit back in the second match with Sam Arthurton making 71 and slow left-armer Ryan Findlay following up three wickets in the first match with four for 13.

Bedfordshire completed a double over Buckinghamshire at Dunstable where Kashif Ali made 113 runs for once out in the day.

Ali made 41 in support of Gus Miller’s 82 not out in an eight wickets win in the opener and 72 not out in a seven wickets success in the second match.

Halesowen batsman Ed Bragg, who was playing his first competitive games for Buckinghamshire made a rapid half century in the second match with his club-mate Alexei Kervezee, the former Worcestershire and Netherlands batsman, weighing in with 43.

Oxfordshire made it three straight wins when they beat Wales NC by 34 runs in the first match at Wormsley but they surrendered their unbeaten record when they were beaten by eight wickets in the second.

Marcus Campopiano’s half century gave Oxfordshire the edge in the opener before Wales struggled against tight bowling and were dismissed for 98 with Harvey Jupp taking three for 16.

Tom Bevan’s half century saw Wales to a target of 118 with 28 balls to spare in the second match.

Wiltshire bounced back from two defeats by Dorset last week to win both matches against Herefordshire at the South Wilts club in Salisbury.

There were useful runs at the top of the order from Warwickshire left-arm wrist spinner Jake Lintott who made 38 in the first match and 22 in the second as Wiltshire won by six wickets then seven wickets.

Wiltshire captain Ed Young’s 41 not out in an unbroken fourth wicket partnership of 78 with Neil Clark saw them home with 25 balls to spare in the second game.

Devon’s acting captain Calum Haggett produced an inspired all-round performance to clinch a thrilling one run win over Cornwall in the first match of the day at Werrington.

The former Somerset and Kent all-rounder top-scored with 36 in Devon’s 150 for five and then took four for 20 – including three wickets in ten balls – before Alex Bone was run out off the last ball.

Haggett took the key wicket of former Warwickshire and Leicestershire batsman Ateeq Javid, who made 55 from 47 balls.

Javid shone with bat and ball in the second game, taking three for 27 then making 60 to lay the platform for a victory with three balls to spare.

National Counties T20

Group One

South Northumberland CC: Cumbria 185-3 (Michael Slack 87 not out, Sam Dutton 55). Northumberland 152-5 (John Oswell 51). Cumbria won by 33 runs. Cumbria 122-8 (Michael Slack 43, Matthew Oswell 3-14), Northumberland 117-7 (Stuart Poynter 67 not out). Cumbria won by five runs.

Whitchurch: Shropshire 109-9 (Sam Wisniewski 3-22), Staffordshire 113-5. Staffordshire won by five wickets. Shropshire 145-4 (Andre Bradford 87 not out), Staffordshire 131-7 (Riki Wessels 58, Charlie Walker 4-21, Martin Bole 3-16). Shropshire won by 14 runs.

Group Two

Werrington: Devon 150-5, Cornwall 149-8 (Ateeq Javed 55). Devon won by one run. Devon 148-8 (James Horler 50, Ateeq Javed 3-27), Cornwall 149-7 (Ateeq Javid 60). Cornwall won by three wickets.

South Wilts CC: Herefordshire 153-6 (Zain ul Hassan 47), Wiltshire 155-4. Wiltshire won by six wickets. Herefordshire 131-8 (Arthur Godsal 3-21), Wiltshire 132-3 (Ed Young 41 not out). Wiltshire won by seven wickets.

Group Three

Haileybury School: Hertfordshire 149-4 (Robin Das 51, Reece Hussain 49 not out, Ryan Findlay 3-19). Norfolk 108-8 (Sam Arthurton 53, Ben Wareing 3-15). Hertfordshire won by 41 runs. Hertfordshire 114-8 (Ryan Findlay 4-13, Andy Hanby 3-19), Norfolk 118-4 (Sam Arthurton 71). Norfolk won by six wickets.

Ipswich School: Lincolnshire 128-9, Suffolk 129-1 (Ben Claydon 102 not out). Suffolk won by nine wickets. Lincolnshire 185-4 (Joe Kendall 82, Ben Wright 41 not out), Suffolk 174-9 (Ben Parker 47, James Dobson 4-18). Lincolnshire won by 11 runs.

Group Four

Dunstable: Buckinghamshire 147-8 (Michael Wells 69), Bedfordshire 150-2 (Gus Miller 82 not out, Kashif Ali 41). Bedfordshire won by eight wickets. Buckinghamshire 171-6 (Ed Bragg 56 not out, Alexei Kervezee 43), Bedfordshire 174-3 (Kashif Ali 72 not out, James Kettleborough 54). Bedfordshire won by seven wickets.

Wormsley: Oxfordshire 132-7 (Marcus Campopiano 51, Sam Pearce 3-29), Wales NC 98 (Harvey Jupp 3-16). Oxfordshire won by 34 runs. Oxfordshire 117-6, Wales NC 120-2 (Tom Bevan 64). Wales NC won by eight wickets.